Saturday, January 11, 2014

Royal Mail First Day Covers – Classic Children’s TV

The first stamps of the Royal
Mail First Day Covers for 2014 have an interesting theme, Classic Children’s
TV. Everyone has seen cartoons and enjoyed them as a child. One of my
favourite, included in this collection, was Postman Pat. This new collection
included 12 Mint Stamps, each one featuring original images from the chosen TV
programmes; made even more charming and collectable by the fact that each
character is breaking out of the standard stamp format. This collection
includes the following characters:

Bagpuss: This unique creation
from Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin was first broadcast in 1974. Bagpuss was
set in a shop where the “saggy old cloth cat” lived with six mice, a
banjo-playing toad called Gabriel, rag doll Madeleine and Professor Yaffle, a
woodpecker bookend.

Paddington Bear: A Bear called
Paddington, written by Michael Bond, was first published in 1958. Directed by
Ivor Wood, the YV series was originally broadcast in 1975. Paddington is a
marmalade-loving bear from Darkest Peru who is found at a London railway
station and taken in by Mr and Mrs Brown.

Ivor the Engine: An early
innovative production from Smallfilms, Ivo the Engine featured a small stream
train working on a remote line in the “top left-hand corner of Wales”. Oliver
Postgate used charmingly rudimentary techniques to animate Peter Firmin’s
drawings of Ivor and his driver Jones the Steam.

The Wombles: Created by Elisabeth
Beresford for a series of novels in 1968, the Wombles are resourceful creatures
that live in a burrow under Wimbledon Common and collect and recycle rubbish. The
stop-motion models directed by Ivor Wood, and the spin-off pop group, first
appeared on British TV in 1973.

Postman Pat: Ivor Wood
collaborated with writer John Cunliffe to bring Postman Pat to our screens in
1981. As he worked his route in bucolic Greendale, each stop-motion episode
would see the postman distracted by the plight of one of the locals, including
Alf Thompson and Mrs Goggins.

Bod the Builder: Making his debut
in 1998, Bob the Builder is the brainchild of former Muppets designer Keith
Chapman. As the world’s favourite builder, Bob’s ability to take on all kinds
of different projects promotes a can-do attitude of positivity and the benefits
of working together.

The Magic Roundabout: French
animator Serge Danot created a 1960s stop motion series called Le Manege
Enchante and was joined by Ivor Wood on the original French episodes. Eric
Thompson wrote and narrated new stories for British viewers and in 1965 The
Magic Roundabout made its UK television debut.

Andy Pandy: Devised by Freda
Lingstrom and Maria Bird, Andy Pandy was first screened live in 1950. Narrator
Vera McKechnie would address string puppets Andy Pandy, Teddy and Looby Loo
directly, and encourage young viewers to sing and dance to the music and
songs.

Camberwick Green: Created by
Gordon Murray and first screened in 1966, Camberwick Green featured stories
about the folk of a picturesque rural village. The electric group of residents
at the heart of each episode included Peter the Postman, Windy Miller, Dr Mopp
and Farmer Jonathan Bell.

Shaun the Sheep: First appearing
in the Oscar-winning 1995 Wallace and Gromit films A Close Shave, Shaun the
Sheep graduated to his own TV series in 2007. Shaun is a sheep who doesn’t
follow the flock – in fact, he leads it into all sorts of scrapes, turning
peace at Mossybottom Farm into mayhem in the meadow.

Mr Benn: It all began in Festing
Road, Putney, where author and illustrator David McKee lived. He used the
street as the inspiration for Festive Road, the home of Mr Benn. In each
episode Mr Benn would visit a fancy –dress shop, try on different costumes and
have adventures in exciting places.

Peppa Pig: Peppa is a lovable,
cheeky little piggy who lives with her little brother George, Mummy Pig and
Daddy Pig. Peppa’s favourite things include playing games, dressing up and
jumping in muddy puddles. The show sees its 10-year anniversary in 2014 and
Peppa will be wearing her golden boots to celebrate!

About Me

I have studied Theology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Theology, International Relations at the University of London (Queen Mary). My Master's Thesis was published as a book: 'The Aegean Sea Dispute Between Greece and Turkey - The Consequences for NATO and the EU'. For more information see: http://www.akakia.net/el/the-aegean-sea-dispute-between-greece-and-turkey
I have also studied Byzantine Music in Athens and I am currently undertaking a research on the “Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius and its contribution towards Anglican – Orthodox Relations”, at the University of Winchester.
I also represent the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain at the A.E.C.A. If you wish to contact me you can email me: demetrifs1@yahoo.com